Chicago Bites Dining Podcast

I don't know how many of you have struggled to find the right combination of hardware and software to build your podcast, but I feel the need to share in case someone else is wondering "how the hell do I do this without sounding like crap". I personally struggled and wondered, and found little help on the Internet. It seems that audio equipment, computers, and syndication are still rife with hurdles and people trying to make a buck off of the learning curve the rest of us are stuck on. I think that sucks. So! Chicago Bites 1-9 were recorded with a USB microphone available for $20 at Best Buy. That's the crap option. It's fine to start out that way to see if you'll stick with podcasting, but after that it's time to move on! Here's what we're using now:

Hardware:
Macintosh Powerbook G4, running OS 10.4.5
M-Audio Fast Track US44010 USB Audio Interface
2 Shure PG58 Vocal Microphones
2 wine glasses
1 good bottle of Chianti (substitute if needed)

Software:
Garageband 2.0.2 (should come with OS 10)
M-Audio Audio Driver (d/l instructions come w/the Mixer)
SoundFlower
iTunes (should also come with OS 10)

It's a reasonably priced set-up, too. The mixer and mics cost us a whopping $250. Keep in mind all of this is just the recording set-up. If you get this far, you're about half-way there. There's still lots to do with the mixing and uploading and syndication. I'll share what I've figured out about that later. Cheers!